Bliss

 Prom can seem like a big deal.  But, as we found out yesterday, there are benefits that come with not going through the whole expensive, awkward, fraught and nervous experience.  (Not that it wouldn't have been awesome to have been asked, mind you!)  But, if you don't get asked, you don't get asked.  And then you come up with an alternate plan.  Golda's alternate plan was a short trip to Park City with Ruby and her favorite mother.  Our first Saturday afternoon stop was Temple Square, to admire the perfectly poised spring flowers.

Golda and Ruby gamely endured a recitation of a poem my dad always used to quote:  "If of thy mortal goods, thou art bereft/And of thy store two loaves are left/Sell one and with the dough/Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul."  Ruby figured that poem was the root cause of my sappiness regarding the arts and beautiful things.  On this day, the beautiful things were the flowers, and also my daughters.  As I was leaving home, a friend of mine stopped by.  She has a new baby and a barely-two-year-old.  She admitted it was overwhelming and then said she was embarrassed to complain to someone like me, who had so many kids.  It's funny, because this was a big discussion at book club this past Thursday, how hard the baby phase is.  I pointed out to my friend that what I'm doing is much easier than what she's doing, up all night with a newborn, up all day with a toddler.  Case in point:  Me whisking off on an overnighter with two fun teenagers while my friend endures another 12 hours of sleeplessness, and another 12 after that, and another 12 after that.  

When these two were babies, 19 months apart, we didn't live near any family.  The few friends I had were as clueless and overwhelmed as I was.  We didn't know any babysitters. The babies were precious, but the days were long.  There was nothing for me to do, but everything for me to do!  Gobs of time, and never enough!  Oddly enough, I look back and remember that time in my life as fun, new and thrilling.  But definitely not easy, not like it's easy now.  Yes, easy.  In my current stage of life, every minute of my day is full of action, and for me, that is easy.  I told my sleep-deprived friend to hang in there, and I did not envy her as I drove away with my girls, bound for an evening of relaxation.  Don't get me wrong; I love babies, and I would have another one if I could, in a heartbeat.  But babies don't care about poetry and flowers and nice dinners, so they tend to only demand of you a certain, narrow set of skills, while the rest of your skill sets and all the other facets of your personality languish behind piles of diapers and plates of cold food.  Definitely not the case when you have all kinds of baby helpers to do everything for you!

So, while my fleet of baby helpers was home raising Tziporah, Ruby, Golda and I were enjoying some traditional Mormon cooking in the gardens at the Beehive House.  We were right in the same spot we were for Xanthe's birthday party a few days ago.  Nobody can accuse me of not having an obsessive personality.  If something is fun once, well then, it will be fun every day until I'm sick of it!  And it would take a lot to get sick of eating delicious food surrounded by lush gardens and the peaceful spirit of Temple Square.

We left Temple Square, though, because we had some flute music to drop off at a house up by the zoo, and a guitar recital to get to in Sugarhouse.  Ruby's phrasing and technique were spot-on in this recital.  Her "Maria Luisa" was a joy to listen to.  CLICK HERE She has performed it a number of times, and wanted to do a newer piece at the last minute, but she was glad she chose not to.  It is nice to perform a piece that is super polished.  The lack of nerves allows a different level of concentration and a more satisfying result.

This is Roy Johnson.  Ruby sees him either once or twice a week, depending on if she has group class.  She goes to his house and presents what she has practiced, and then he enthusiastically helps her get to the next level.  He is an inspirational teacher.  He has taught Ruby how to practice, and also how to teach.  He has also taught her how to think, how to appreciate life, and how to be a good person.  This quote encapsulates how I feel about good teachers, and we have many:  "The single most important thing in a child's performance is the quality of the teacher.  Making sure a child spends the maximum amount of time with inspirational teachers is the most important thing."  That is what music lessons are all about, for me.  As Shinichi Suzuki famously said, "Teaching music is not my main purpose.  I want to make good citizens.  If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance.  They get a beautiful heart."

I can't argue with that.  My beautiful-hearted girls and I mingled around the post-recital dinner party until it became apparent, as it always does, that we are the only ones not imbibing a ruby-colored glass of wine and relaxing into the hush and banter of the evening. We had our own relaxation planned, the three of us eating Lion House cookie dough and watching Catching Fire at the Ranch.  Need I say how grateful I am for these children of mine, or for the dad at home who makes these special times possible?